What Type of Therapy Is Best for Me?

Psychotherapy is commonly prescribed to people struggling with mental health disorders. However, you might be hesitant to try therapy because of negative past experiences. Finding the type of therapy that is right for you will take time—different types of therapy target specific mental health symptoms using various methods, tools, and techniques.

However, even within these categories, therapy will differ significantly from therapist to therapist. Finding the type of therapy that works for you can be a strenuous process. Learning about the different kinds of therapy is an excellent place to begin your journey.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is one of the most common and studied therapy used to treat various mental health disorders. It is a combination of behavioral and cognitive psychotherapy practices. Cognitive therapy interrogates negative and destructive thought patterns and replaces them with healthier and more realistic ones. This therapy will help you identify when your thoughts are not based on the reality of a situation. Cognitive therapy can also help prevent self-fulfilling prophecies.

Behavioral therapy focuses on changing learned behaviors that make your life more difficult. For example, instead of changing your thoughts or beliefs to produce healthier behaviors, you change your behavior to produce more beneficial cognitive thoughts. Cognitive therapy uses cognitive and behavioral practices to provide problem-oriented strategies that help you conquer distressing feelings.

Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

DBT was created to treat suicide prevention and is commonly used to treat borderline personality disorder. Studies show that people who receive DBT treatment are reportedly less suicidal, less angry, have decreased hospitalizations, and are more socially adjusted.

Similar to CBT, DBT focuses on behavior and cognitions, but unlike CBT, it balances the goal of changing cognitions and behaviors with acceptance of yourself and your reality. This serves as a reminder that not all of your personality needs to change for you to live a healthier and happier life.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

MI is primarily used to treat substance use disorders but can be used to treat other mental health disorders. This type of therapy focuses on building the motivation to change. In a MI session, a therapist will help you see the disconnect between your current behaviors and your goals. This type of therapy also requires balance. The therapist must be understanding of your resistance to change while also challenging it. Being in a supportive, non-judgemental space will give you a sense of safety that is essential for behavioral change.

CBT for Anger Management

Many therapists who practice CBT have expertise in specific areas of mental health. For example, some therapists may have more experience treating trauma, while others might have more experience with anxiety or depressive disorders. In addition, therapists who practice CBT for anger management will help you develop tools for emotional regulation and social solving. For example, you might learn relaxation techniques, conflict resolution skills, and trigger recognition in a CBT session for anger management.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EDMR is a type of therapy used for processing trauma. This type of therapy focuses on stress reduction and reprocessing of a traumatic event. EMDR treatment only consists of eight sessions that each have a specific purpose, which is outlined below.

1. History Taking:  During your first session, you will discuss your past to identify traumatic memories or events that will focus on the treatment.
2. Preparation: During your second session, your therapist will walk you through the process of EMDR and emotionally prepare you for the process ahead.
3. Assessment:  During your third session, the EMDR processing begins. Your therapist will stimulate EMDR processing through the use of images, sounds, or other sensations that remind you of the event. During the session, you will identify negative beliefs you have because of the traumatic event. Then, your therapist will provide you with positive statements that will eventually replace your negative thoughts.
4. Desensitization: During your fourth session, your therapist will ask you to follow their hand movements while focusing on the traumatic event. This allows you to experience the sensation of the memory while also engaging in the current sensation of following the object or hand back and forth.
5. Installation:  During your fifth session, you will focus on decreasing stressful emotions associated with the traumatic situation by strengthening positive beliefs and acknowledging the agency and control you currently possess.
6. Body Scan: During your sixth session, your therapist will ask you to recall the traumatic memory to assess if it causes you physical distress.
7. Closure: During your seventh session, your therapist will teach you stress reduction techniques to help you manage your trauma-related symptoms.
8. Reassessment: During your eighth and final session, your therapist will reassess your relationship with the traumatic event and determine if you need further sessions.

There are many different types of therapy techniques that could help you with your substance use and other mental health symptoms. It will take trial and error before you find the kind of therapy that is right for you. Restoration Recovery Center provides a variety of treatments, such as CBT, MI, DBT, and other psycho and holistic therapies. Our mental health professionals will work closely with you to understand your recovery goals and find a treatment that best suits your needs. We know you are a complex person, not a number, and we believe that a successful recovery will come from helping you understand that complexity. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, please call (888) 290-0925 to learn how we can help you achieve long-term sobriety through treatments that focus on the body, mind, and spirit.